I have several jigs that have their rubber band melted from heat or just being too old. I'm gonna have to buy new skirts for some too. Instead of buying new rubber bands, what is the best wire to hand tie them with?

I use braid kine

Small zip-tie, fast, easy, & cheap!

I use 20-24 ga wire.

I use 20-24 ga wire.

X2!

I know that you are asking about wires, but I have been using the small plastic wire ties for my jigs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits.They seem to be working fine and holding up well.

Small zip-tie, fast, easy, & cheap!

Yup

Thanks guys!

I use 20-24 ga wire.

 

24 ga copper. Between that, the feathers, beads, paints, sewing machine oil, etc, I think the girls at Michael's are starting to talk.

Thin gauge copper or stainless wire works.  Tiny zip ties work.  If you are trying to preserve a skirt wire or zip tie it prior to removing the rubber band.

The skirt is difficult to reassemble.  Strips or tin foil help.  Form it to hold the rear part of the skirt as tight as possible to the shank of the hook.  Use another piece to hang the front part of the skirt up around the head of the jig and crimp it up as snug as you can get it.

 

For the actual wiring/zip tying of the skirt, a fly tying vice helps.  Make sure that you get on that is adjustable enough to hold the larger hooks used in bass fishing.   After you have the skirt secured front and back, mounting the hook in the fly tying vice gives you open space to work and makes it a relatively simple job, even if you have short stubby fingers like I've got.

 

I've also used old fishing braid for this task.  Just tie good knots.   If you use braid, give it a top coat of superglue.

 

The above posts comment about Michael's is right on.  I've gotten bewildered looks, returning beads that were wrong size or too flashy or whatever.

Michael's also has a good supply of storage boxes, made by Plano, in configurations not normally found in fishing tackle stores.  Also, it is THE place to go to get small sharp scissors to cut braid.

Thanks for the insight guys! I've started to dabble with tying my own jigs as a hobby and have found this forum extremely helpful!